KING HENRY
       Away with them to prison; and the day of combat shall
       be the last of the next month.
       Come, Somerset, we'll see thee sent away.
       Flourish. Exeunt
       London. The DUKE OF GLOUCESTER'S garden
       Enter MARGERY JOURDAIN, the witch; the two priests, HUME and SOUTHWELL; and BOLINGBROKE
       HUME
       Come, my masters; the Duchess, I tell you, expects
       performance of your promises.
       BOLINGBROKE
       Master Hume, we are therefore provided; will her
       ladyship behold and hear our exorcisms?
       HUME
       Ay, what else? Fear you not her courage.
       BOLINGBROKE
       I have heard her reported to be a woman of an
       invincible spirit; but it shall be convenient, Master Hume, that
       you be by her aloft while we be busy below; and so I pray you go,
       in God's name, and leave us. [Exit HUME] Mother Jourdain, be you
       prostrate and grovel on the earth; John Southwell, read you; and
       let us to our work.
       Enter DUCHESS aloft, followed by HUME
       DUCHESS
       Well said, my masters; and welcome all. To this gear, the
       sooner the better.
       BOLINGBROKE
       Patience, good lady; wizards know their times:
       Deep night, dark night, the silent of the night,
       The time of night when Troy was set on fire;
       The time when screech-owls cry and ban-dogs howl,
       And spirits walk and ghosts break up their graves-
       That time best fits the work we have in hand.
       Madam, sit you, and fear not: whom we raise
       We will make fast within a hallow'd verge.
       [Here they do the ceremonies belonging, and make the circle; BOLINGBROKE or SOUTHWELL reads: 'Conjuro te,' &c. It thunders and lightens terribly; then the SPIRIT riseth]
       SPIRIT
       Adsum.
       MARGERY JOURDAIN
       Asmath,
       By the eternal God, whose name and power
       Thou tremblest at, answer that I shall ask;
       For till thou speak thou shalt not pass from hence.
       SPIRIT
       Ask what thou wilt; that I had said and done.
       BOLINGBROKE
       [Reads] 'First of the king: what shall of him become?'
       SPIRIT
       The Duke yet lives that Henry shall depose;
       But him outlive, and die a violent death.
       [As the SPIRIT speaks, SOUTHWELL writes the answer]
       BOLINGBROKE
       'What fates await the Duke of Suffolk?'
       SPIRIT
       By water shall he die and take his end.
       BOLINGBROKE
       'What shall befall the Duke of Somerset?'
       SPIRIT
       Let him shun castles:
       Safer shall he be upon the sandy plains
       Than where castles mounted stand.
       Have done, for more I hardly can endure.
       BOLINGBROKE
       Descend to darkness and the burning lake;
       False fiend, avoid!
       Thunder and lightning. Exit SPIRIT
       Enter the DUKE OF YORK and the DUKE OF BUCKINGHAM with guard, and break in
       YORK
       Lay hands upon these traitors and their trash.
       Beldam, I think we watch'd you at an inch.
       What, madam, are you there? The King and commonweal
       Are deeply indebted for this piece of pains;
       My Lord Protector will, I doubt it not,
       See you well guerdon'd for these good deserts.
       DUCHESS
       Not half so bad as thine to England's king,
       Injurious Duke, that threatest where's no cause.
       BUCKINGHAM
       True, madam, none at all. What can you this?
       Away with them! let them be clapp'd up close,
       And kept asunder. You, madam, shall with us.
       Stafford, take her to thee.
       We'll see your trinkets here all forthcoming.
       All, away!
       Exeunt, above, DUCHESS and HUME, guarded; below, WITCH, SOUTHWELL and BOLINGBROKE, guarded
       YORK
       Lord Buckingham, methinks you watch'd her well.
       A pretty plot, well chosen to build upon!
       Now, pray, my lord, let's see the devil's writ.
       What have we here? [Reads]
       'The duke yet lives that Henry shall depose;
       But him outlive, and die a violent death.'
       Why, this is just
       'Aio te, Aeacida, Romanos vincere posse.'
       Well, to the rest:
       'Tell me what fate awaits the Duke of Suffolk?'
       'By water shall he die and take his end.'
       'What shall betide the Duke of Somerset?'
       'Let him shun castles;
       Safer shall he be upon the sandy plains
       Than where castles mounted stand.'
       Come, come, my lords;
       These oracles are hardly attain'd,
       And hardly understood.
       The King is now in progress towards Saint Albans,
       With him the husband of this lovely lady;
       Thither go these news as fast as horse can carry them-
       A sorry breakfast for my Lord Protector.
       BUCKINGHAM
       Your Grace shall give me leave, my Lord of York,
       To be the post, in hope of his reward.
       YORK
       At your pleasure, my good lord.
       Who's within there, ho?
       Enter a serving-man
       Invite my Lords of Salisbury and Warwick
       To sup with me to-morrow night. Away!
       Exeunt

Dramatis Personae
act i
   Scene I.
   Scene II.
   Scene III.
   Scene IV.
act ii
   Scene I.
   Scene II.
   Scene III.
   Scene IV.
act iii
   Scene I.
   Scene II.
   Scene III.
act iv
   Scene I.
   Scene II.
   Scene III.
   Scene IV.
   Scene V.
   Scene VI.
   Scene VII.
   Scene VIII.
   Scene IX.
   Scene X.
act v
   Scene I.
   Scene II.
   Scene III.